Antifreezing device



' Nov. 17, 1942. M BMCAMERQN 2,302,418

ANTIFREEZING DEVICE I Filed Nov. 28, 1940 Fig.1 4

FROZEN WATER I INVENTOR MORTIMER B. CAMERON BY mwr ATTORN EY Patented Nov. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES iATENT OFFICE ANTIFREEZING DEVICE Mortimer B. Cameron, Edgewood, Pa., assignor to The Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 28, 194-0, Serial No. 367,617 Claims. (Cl. 138-34) This invention relates to air conducting systems and more particularly to apparatus for introducing an anti-freeze medium into air to be used in such a system or into the air as it ows through the system.

In winter, when the atmospheric temperature A is below freezing, moisture carried by air into the system will be deposited on the wall or walls oi fluid storage reservoirs, fluid conducting pipes and passages, valve mechanisms and the like and will there freeze. This is of course objectionable .in that the ice formed on the walls may in some cases seriously reduce the flow areas of pipes and passages and the volume of control or storage reservoirs and may also render the valve mechanisms employed in the systems either sluggish in their operation or inoperative. In railway fluid pressure brake systems such a condition is especially objectionable since it may so affect the desired braking characteristics of the system as to render the operation of a railway vehicle or train dangerous.

An object of the present invention is to provide means automatically operative in accordance with variations in atmospheric temperature for either supplying a volatile anti-freeze medium,

such as alcohol, to air flowing into or through a fluid conducting system or cutting off such supply.

Another object of the invention is to provide means automatically operative in accordance with variations in atmospheric temperature for regulating the supply of volatile anti-freeze medium to a fluid conducting system.

According to the invention these objects are attainedby means of an apparatus which may be placed in any desired location in a fluid conducting system and which is operative in response to freezing temperatures to expose an alcohol ladened wick or the like to air flowing through the system and which, at temperatures above freezing, will maintain the wick out of the path of flow of the air in the system and at the same time maintain the alcohol storage chamber sealed out of communication with the air stream.

Another feature of the invention resides in the arrangement whereby the alcohol carrying wick, as it is moved in accordance with changes in temperature, is automatically cleaned of any dirt which may have collected thereon during the time it has been exposed to the air stream.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following more detailed description of the invention.

agrammatic view of a portion of a fluid pressure system embodying the invention for introducing alcohol into the system, a portion of the apparatus being shown in section, the several parts or the anti-freeze apparatus being shown in their ineflective position; Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the apparatus in position to introduce alcohol to the fluid pressure system; Fig. 3 is a detailed view partly in section of another form of thermostat for controlling the apparatus, the thermostat being in the condition it will assume under temperatures above freezing; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating the thcri'nostat in the condition it will assume under temperatures below freezing.

The equipment shown in the accompanying drawing lllCllldGS a compressor 1, which may be of any desired type having an inlet conduit 2 and a discharge conduit 3, which latter conduit may be connected to the usual air storage reservoir, not shown. The equipment also comprises an anti-freeze device 4 which, in the present embodiment of the invention, is directly associated with the compressor inlet conduit 2.

It will here be understood thatthe invention is not limited to the association of the anti-freeze device with the compressor inlet conduit since it is apparent that the device may be interposed or located at any other point in the system.

The anti-freeze device A as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may comprise a casing in which there is formed a fluid conducting conduit or chamber 5 which is open to one end of the atmosphere and which is open at the other end to the compressor inlet conduit 2.

The casing of the anti-freeze device is so con-g structed as to define an alcohol storage chamber 6 which is supplied with alcohol by way of a filling passage I normally closed by means of a plug 8 having screw threaded connection with the casing. The upper end of this chamber is provided with an opening 9 for the accommodation of aflexible member which, as shown, may be in the form wick I0 made of porous material. This wick is contained in the chamber 6 and, as will be later described, is movable vertically upwardly and downwardly through the opening 9. Above the opening 9- an annular valve seat H is provided in the casing on which a valve l2, contained in chamber 5, is adapted to seat to cut off communication from the chamber 6 to the fluid conduit 5, thereby preventing unintentional introduction of alcohol vapor to the fluid fiowing through the conduit 5. Also contained in the In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a diconduit 5 is an arm l3 which has one of its ends 2 operatively connected to the valve I2, and which has its other end hinged to the casing in such a manner as to permit it to rock in a vertical plane.

Secured to the lower end of the wick I and contained in chamber 6 is a weight I4 which, at all times, maintains the wick taut.

The casing is also provided with a chamber I which is partially filled with water I6 and par-' tially with oil H or any other liquid which will fioat on top of the water. The water and oil are supplied to the chamber through a filling passage I8 which is normally closed by means of a plug I9 having screw threaded connection with the casing. Resting on the oil in the chamber I5 is a vertically movable abutment 29 having a stem 2! which extends upwardly through vertical aligned guide openings in a cover 22 of the chamber 55 and a wall 23 of the chamber 5, the end of the stern operatively engaging the arm I3 at a'point located intermediate the ends of the arm. interposed between and operatively engaging the abutment 20 and the cover 22 is a spring 24 which acts at all times to maintain the abutment in contact with the upper surface of the oil.

It will be understood from the following description that the casing, water It, oil I'I, piston 3%, piston rod 2! and spring 24 constitute a thermostat which will function to control the operation of the arm l3 and thereby the wick I3.

In operation, When the atmospheric temperature falls below freezing, the water in chamber I5 freezes and expands forcing the oil I1 and thereby the piston 29 and piston stem 2| upwardly, compressing spring 24. The stem 2i, since it is in operative engagement with the arm I3 will rock the arm upwardly about its pivot to unseat the valve l2 and to, at the same time, expose a portion of the alcohol saturated wick to the air flowing through the chamber 5 to the conduit 2 leading to the compressor l. The alcohol vapor given off by the wick will be carried by the air through the compressor to all parts of the system. The wick in its raised position will for a portion of its length be immersed in the alcohol, so that the portion exposed to the air in chamber 5 will be continuously replenished with alcohol by capillary attraction.

When the temperature rises above freezing the ice melts and contracts, thus permitting the oil I! to move downwardly. When this occurs the spring 26 acts to move the piston and thereby the piston stem 2! downwardly with the oil. As the stem is thus moved the arm I3 rocks downwardly permitting the valve I2 to seat on the valve seat l land cut oil communication from the chamber 6 to the chamber 5.

As the wick is moved upwardly and downwardly by the arm I3 the edge of the opening 9 agitates .the fabric of the wick and thereby loosens any dirt which may have collected thereon thus preventing the caking of dirt on the wick which would impair its alcohol carrying capacity.

The form of thermostat illustrated in Figs. 3 and for actuating arm l3 comprises a hermetically sealed hollow casing which is completely fiiled with water I6 and oil II.

The casing of this thermostat comprises a nonexpansible chamber portion 30 which may be secured in any suitable fixed support (not shown) against movement.

Extending through vertically aligned openings .in the top and bottom walls 3I and 32, respectively, of the chamber portion of the casing, 18

a vertically disposed tube 33 which is soldered or welded to the walls 3| and 32, the solder or welding material filling any spaces which may exist at the juncture of the tube and walls, thus rendering the casing leak proof. This casing is provided with openings 34 which establishes communication from the interior of the chamber portion 30 to the interior of the tube and are located close to the inner surface of the top wall 31 of the portion. Like openings 35 are also provided in the tube but are located close to the inner surface of the bottom wall 32 of the portion 30.

The upper end .of the tube has secured thereto the lower end of a Sylphon diaphragm 3B, which diaphragm constitutes a flexible part of the casing. Secured to the upper end of the diaphragm is a plunger 3? which is adapted to operatively engage the wick controlling arm I3.

The lower end of the tube is initially open to permit the filling of the chamber portion 30, tube 33 and Sylphon diaphragm 36 with the oil and water I6 and H, respectively. After the casing is completely filled a plug 38 is inserted in the lower end of the tube and is soldered, welded or otherwise secured to the tube to render the tube leakproof.

When the casing is filled and secured in place for controlling the operation of the arm l3, the oil and water will stratify as shown in Fig. 3 and the water level will be substantially mid-way between the upper and lower walls 3| and 32 respectively of the portion 30. It will here be noted that the oil in the chamber portion 33 is in communication with the oil in the tube by way of the openings 34 and that the water in the chamber portion is in communication with the water in the tube through the openings 35.

In operation, when the water I3 freezes it expands and displaces the oil Il upwardly into the Sylphon diaphragm causing the diaphragm to expand upwardly as shown in Fig. 4 to rock the arm I3 upwardly about its pivot. thereby unseating the valve I2 and pulling the alcohol ladened wick I0 upwardly into the chamber 5. When the ice in the casing melts the oil will be permitted to move downwardly and as a result the diaphragm will contract and thereby permit the arm I3, valve I2 and wick II! to assume the position in which they are shown in Fig. 1.

While two illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit its scope to these embodiments or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An anti-freeze apparatus comprising an air conducting chamber adapted to form a portion of an air conductor of an air conducting system, a storage chamber for a volatile anti-freeze medium, a wick in said storage chamber adapted to be saturated with said anti-freeze medium, and means responsive to variations in atmospheric temperature for moving said wick into and out -'of said air conducting chamber.

2. An anti-freeze apparatus comprising an air conducting chamber adapted to form a portion of an air conductor of an air conducting system, a storage chamber for a volatile anti-freeze medium, a porous element adapted to be saturated with said anti-freeze medium, and means responsive to variations in atmospheric temperature for moving said porous element into and out of the pathof flow of air through said air conducting chamber.

3. An anti-freeze apparatus comprising an air conducting chamber adapted to form a portion of an air conductor of an air conducting system, a storage chamber for a volatile anti-freeze medium, a porous element adapted to be saturated With said anti-freeze medium, means responsive to variations in atmospheric temperature for moving said porous element into and out of the path of flow of air through said air conducting chamber, and means for scraping said porous element as it is being moved.

4. An anti-freeze apparatus comprising an air conducting chamber adapted to form a portion of an air conductor of an air conducting system, a storage chamber for a volatile anti-freeze medium, a porous element adapted to be saturated with said anti-freeze medium, means responsive to variations in atmospheric temperature for moving said porous element into and out of the path of flow of air through said air conducting chamber, and means for bending said porous element as the element is moved to free it of foreign matter which may have collected thereon.

5. An anti-freeze apparatus comprising an air conducting chamber adapted to form a portion of an air conductor of a fluid pressure system, a storage chamber for a volatile anti-freeze medium, a porous element in said chamber adapted to be saturated with said anti-freeze medium, a chamber containing water and means responsive to the expansion of the water in freezing temperatures for moving said element into said chamber and responsive to the contraction of the melting frozen water in a higher than freezing temperature for moving said element out of said chamber.

6. An anti-freeze apparatus comprising an air conducting chamber adapted to form a portion of an air conductor of a fluid pressure system, a storage chamber for a volatile anti-freeze me dium, an element in said chamber adapted to carry a portion of said anti-freeze medium and being movable'into and out of said air conducting chambers, and means responsive only to freezing atmospheric temperatures for moving said element into said chamber and responsive Jperature for moving said element out of said only to higher than freezing atmospheric temchamber.

7. An anti-freeze apparatus comprising an air conducting chamber adapted to form a portion of an air conductor of a fluid pressure system, a storage chamber for a volatile anti-freeze medium, a porous element in said chamber adapted to absorb a portion of said anti-freezev medium, and a thermostat for moving said element into and out of said chamber.

8. An anti-freeze apparatus comprising an air conducting chamber adapted to form a portion of an air conductor of a fluid pressure system, a storage chamber for a volatile anti-freeze medium, an element in said chamber saturated with said anti-freeze medium and being movable into and out of the path of flow of air through said air conducting chamber, and means responsive only to freezing temperatures for moving said element into the path of travel of the air through said air conducting chamber.

9. An anti-freeze apparatus comprising an air conducting chamber adapted to form a portion of an air conductor of an air conducting system, a storage chamber for a volatile anti-freeze medium, a wick in said storage chamber adapted to be saturated with said anti-freeze medium, means responsive to variations in atmospheric temperature for moving said wick into and out of said air conducting chamber, and a valve movable with said wick to close said storage chamber when the wick is moved out of said air conducting chamber.

10. An anti-freeze apparatus comprising an air conducting chamber adapted to form a portion of an air conductor of an air conducting system, a storage chamber fora volatile antifreeze medium, a porous element adapted to be saturated with said anti-freeze medium, means responsive to variations in atmospheric temperature for moving said porous element into and out of the path of flow of air through said air conducting chamber, and means movable with said porous element to close said storage chamber after the element is moved out of said air conducting chamber.

MORTIMER B. CAMERON. 

